○ Survey of 579 respondents conducted jointly by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Agro-Fisheries Institute (including 419 seasonal workers, 126 employers, and 34 city and county officials)
○ Survey results will be used to develop institutional improvements early next year that promote the human rights of foreign seasonal workers, focusing on intermediaries, labor contracts, language accessibility, and workplace safety

A survey conducted by Gyeonggi Province on the human rights conditions of foreign seasonal workers found that more than half of respondents who experienced human rights violations did not know where to seek help in emergency situations.

On December 11, Gyeonggi Province announced that it will complete a comprehensive analysis of the survey results and present policy improvement measures early next year.

The survey was conducted from July to November by the Gyeonggi Provincial Human Rights Division, the Agricultural Policy Division, the Gyeonggi Agro-Fisheries Institute, and the Hanyang University ERICA Industry–Academic Cooperation Foundation. Investigators visited farms employing seasonal workers and surveyed a total of 579 respondents, including 419 seasonal workers—336 directly employed workers and 83 public-type workers—along with 126 employers and 34 city and county officials.

According to the key findings, 78.2 percent (315) of the seasonal worker respondents (403) reported having a written employment contract. However, when asked about their understanding of the contract, only 54.4 percent (162) said they understood it very well.

Regarding experiences of human rights violations in the workplace, the most frequently reported issues were discrepancies between the workplace specified in the contract and the actual work location (14.3 percent, 59 respondents), unpaid overtime wages (13.3 percent, 55 respondents), and verbal abuse (11.1 percent). Among public-type seasonal workers, higher rates of violations were reported compared to directly employed workers. These included unpaid overtime wages (35.4 percent, 29 respondents), verbal abuse (29.1 percent, 23 respondents), additional accommodation fees (22.0 percent, 18 respondents), discrepancies in workplace location (21.0 percent, 17 respondents), restrictions on going out (15.7 percent, 13 respondents), and physical violence (7.3 percent, 6 respondents).

Among the 96 respondents who reported experiencing human rights violations, 87.5 percent said they endured the situation without taking any action. In addition, only 41.9 percent said they were aware of institutions where they could seek assistance in an emergency.

A separate survey of employers regarding working conditions showed an average daily working time of 9.2 hours, an average rest period of 1.7 hours, three days off per month, an average monthly wage of KRW 1.98 million, and average deductions of KRW 194,000 for expenses such as accommodation and meals.

With respect to pay slips, only 58.4 percent (52) of employers reported issuing them. Among those employers, 56.9 percent (29) provided pay slips in Korean, while only 39.2 percent (20) provided them in the worker’s native language.

As for employer-provided accommodation, the most common type was general housing (36.8 percent, 42 cases), followed by temporary structures (22.8 percent, 26 cases), housing attached to the employer’s residence (15.8 percent, 18 cases), and studio apartments (11.4 percent, 13 cases).

Meanwhile, 76.5 percent (26) of city and county officials responsible for seasonal worker affairs reported that staffing levels were insufficient. In addition, 24.2 percent—nearly one quarter—said they had relied on assistance from intermediaries such as brokers or managers.

Regarding human rights education programs for seasonal workers conducted by city and county governments, 71 percent (22) reported providing translated materials in workers’ native languages, and the same proportion reported offering interpretation support. However, in jurisdictions with only one staff member assigned to seasonal worker affairs, the provision of translated materials fell to 64.7 percent, while interpretation support dropped to 47.1 percent, indicating greater vulnerability due to limited administrative capacity.

When asked whether they had paid fees to intermediaries such as brokers or managers, 79.4 percent (104) of respondents from Laos, 7.4 percent (5) from Cambodia, and 6.7 percent (11) from Vietnam answered “yes.” Expert advisory meetings noted discrepancies between the survey findings and on-the-ground conditions. Experts also observed that seasonal workers often hesitate to report human rights violations out of concern that doing so could jeopardize future employment opportunities in Korea, potentially limiting the scope of the survey results.

To prevent human rights violations, Gyeonggi Province’s Agricultural Policy Division provided labor and human rights education this year to 796 employers across 12 cities and counties, focusing on compliance with labor contracts and the prevention of discrimination. The province also conducted pilot psychological counseling programs for public-type seasonal workers in three cities and counties to support emotional well-being and social adjustment.

Choi Hyeon-jeong, Gyeonggi Province’s Human Rights Director, stated, “This survey marks a starting point for strengthening the institutional foundation needed to ensure that the growing number of seasonal workers can work in a safe and respectful environment,” adding, “Based on the findings, we will develop comprehensive institutional improvement measures addressing labor contracts, language accessibility, workplace safety, and intermediaries.”

Meanwhile, anyone may seek consultation or apply for remedies through the Gyeonggi Provincial Human Rights Center regarding discrimination and human rights violations occurring within Gyeonggi Province, its administrative agencies, province-funded institutions, entrusted organizations, entities receiving provincial support, and social welfare facilities. Applications may be submitted by third parties as well as by affected individuals, and all consultations are handled in strict confidence. Inquiries can be made to the Gyeonggi Provincial Human Rights Center at 031-8008-2340 or 031-120 (press 8), or via the center’s website (www.gg.go.kr/humanrights).